


Shouldn't Have Done That

by flowersforgraves



Series: BTHB [25]
Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Dreams and Nightmares, Gen, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-23 20:58:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18709861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowersforgraves/pseuds/flowersforgraves
Summary: Mako has nightmares about losing his family. It's worse when it's his fault.





	Shouldn't Have Done That

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jude_writes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jude_writes/gifts).



> Written for eliotkeats: 'I Will Only Slow You Down' + The Chime.
> 
> (ALL PROMPTS FILLED. New card will be up shortly.)

Mako has nightmares about the Chime. He’s afraid to lose them in a very visceral way, and it manifests in dreams. It’s always the same themes, with subtle differences every time -- whether he winds up seeking out Aria or Cass or AuDy really only depends on who his mind has decided to feature this time.

At the moment he’s almost drunk enough to have a dreamless sleep, but Cass has been on his case about better sleeping habits. So he declines the new drink Aria offers him, and curls up to sleep off the alcohol.

It’s not that simple. It’s never that simple. 

It starts out fine. He’s speeding low over the ground on the Ring of Saturn, the _Brilliance_ following behind. Cass and AuDy are safe on the _Kingdom Come_ , backup for him and Aria in case something goes wrong -- not that it will, of course, because Mako’s fucking good at what he does, and Aria is perfect to be the muscle, and it’s never gone irreparably wrong before.

It starts out fine, and then there’s an explosion, and he is tumbling through the air while he watches AuDy bring the _Kingdom Come_ into view. He doesn’t know where Aria is, and he hopes to god that she’s not dead. It’s one thing for him to suffer the consequences of his tendency to be a cocky sonofabitch, and quite another for it to fall on Aria, AuDy, and Cass.

Mako blinks again and he is on the ground. His Ring of Saturn isn’t in his line of sight, but Cass is, which is weird, because Cass is supposed to be prepping for him and Aria to return. “Wh--” he starts, but blood bubbles from his lips and Cass shushes him gently with a hand to his forehead.

“Mako. Just breathe, alright?” Cass looks like shit, their skin an unhealthy greyish-yellow pallor. He opens his mouth to say so, and coughs hard enough to send a spike of pain through his ribs. “I said _breathe_. Don’t talk.” Cass has their combat medic voice on, no-nonsense, brusque and efficient. They work quickly, no extraneous movement, and Mako thinks that if he has to be hurt this bad, at least it’s them taking care of him. 

AuDy’s voice comes through on a channel they can all hear. “I’ve got Aria. Cass, location?” They’re a robot, and they don’t deal in emotions, but Mako fancies he can hear some stress there.

Cass shakes their head quickly. “I’m going to get Mako to the pickup point. Don’t risk the ship, we’re in a way too crowded area.”

“Acknowledged,” AuDy says, clipped as they disconnect from the channel.

“This is going to hurt,” Cass tells Mako frankly. 

That’s another thing Mako likes about working with the Chime. AuDy doesn’t mince words, Aria doesn’t really give a shit about tact with just the four of them, and Cass isn’t going to sugarcoat anything this important. He makes a note to thank them for it later.

Cass starts to move Mako, but stops when Mako whimpers involuntarily. “Fuck,” they mumble, and then scoop him up bridal-style, and take off running.

“How far,” Mako croaks, two blocks in. He’s in a lot of pain, and he nearly blacks out every time Cass’ left boot strikes the ground. 

“Five more,” Cass says. They’re panting heavily, their fingers digging into Mako in a way that would probably hurt if he didn’t have bigger pain signals to worry about. He can feel their heart beating even through the layers they’re wearing -- and on their back looks like the entire fucking medical lab.

“You should,” Mako says, then moans. “Go. Leave me.”

Cass holds on tighter and ignores him.

“You.” Mako feels blood dribbling out of his mouth. “Can make it. Not me.”

“Don’t,” Cass rasps.

He summons his strength and tries to reach up and touch Cass’ face. “I’m slowing you down.”

“ _Mako,_ ” Cass says, and there’s a hitch in their voice that has nothing to do with exertion. “Don’t.”

Mako tries, feebly, to kick out at them. But he can’t, can’t move his legs, or even keep his eyes open, and all his energy is now on breathing.

Even so, he can’t help knowing when something hits Cass in the back. He’s so soaked in his own blood that he doesn’t feel any of Cass’ on him, but it’s hard not to know when Cass staggers and drops to one knee, ragged breath and quiet sounds of pain now coming from both of them. It’s harder still to not know that Cass whispers “I’m sorry” before Mako is on the ground again, and hardest of all to ignore Cass’ blood-slick hand in his.

Passing out is a mercy. So is taking his last breath as his blood stains the street.

He’s crying when he wakes up. 


End file.
